Sex After 60A Natural Part of Life

What does sex after 60 make you think about? About being older, losing interest and leaving sex behind? Or about a vital, vibrant sexuality experienced by millions of older adults?

According to a landmark national survey of men and women older than 60, the truth is refreshingly positive. Sex after 60 is alive and well ... just like today's older Americans.

Vital Information

Sex After 60: A Natural Part of Life

Men 60+ say ...

Women 60+ say ...

Almost half are sexually active

61% are sexually active

37% are sexually active

39% want sex more often

61% find sex equal to or more physically satisfying than it was in their 40s

62% find sex equal to or more physically satisfying than it was in their 40s

76 % find sex at least as emotionally satisfying as it was in their 40s

69% find sex at least as emotionally satisfying as it was in their 40s

72% consider sex important to their relationship with their partner

47% consider sex important to their relationship with their partner

An active sex life appears to be as normal a part of aging as retiring and having grandchildren. According to the NCOA survey, almost half of Americans age 60 and over are still sexually active.

Men seem to be more sexually active than women (61% of men vs. 37% of women), a statistical blip that may be due in part to the fact that women tend to outlive their husbands, and thus are more likely to be left without a partner.

Four in Ten Want More

For many people, life does slow down as they grow older, a trend that's reflected in how often mature Americans say they have sex.

The majority of respondents report having sex less often now than when they were in their 40s (82% of men and 63% of women, respectively), with only a few saying they have sex as often as they once did.

But even though they seem to be slowing down, older Americans still want to be more sexually active than they are. Many of those surveyed were not entirely content with the amount of sex they were having. About 40% indicated they'd like to have sex more often than they currently do.

An equal number claimed that they're satisfied with how often they have sex. Only 4% of all respondents said they wanted less sex.

And finally, men were more than twice as likely as women to report wanting sex more frequently. This was true in all age segments--even in men 80 and older.

Sex After 60: A Positive Outlook

The NCOA survey reveals a side of aging that's long been overlooked, and often misunderstood--the side of mature sexuality. It helps erase the long-held myth that aging inevitably dampens the desire, and that older people are not interested in--or able to have--sex. In fact, the survey shows that older Americans--men and women alike--believe sex can and should remain a vital part of their lives long into older adulthood.